


To Light The Fire

by idrilsdarkwritings (idrilhadhafang)



Series: Supreme Leader Dameron [1]
Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Action/Adventure, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Dark, Badass Rey, Dark Poe Dameron, Dark Side Finn, First Order Poe Dameron, Knight Kylo Ren, Minor Jessika Pava/Paige Tico, Multi, Scavenger Rey (Star Wars), Supreme Leader Poe Dameron
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-27
Updated: 2019-07-01
Packaged: 2020-05-20 13:15:25
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 5,781
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19377457
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/idrilhadhafang/pseuds/idrilsdarkwritings
Summary: What if Poe Dameron was Supreme Leader of the First Order?





	1. The Knights

**Author's Note:**

  * For [MidgardianNerd](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MidgardianNerd/gifts).



> Disclaimer: I own nothing.
> 
> Author’s Notes: For MidgardianNerd, who gave me this idea.

“This will soon begin to make things right.”

Even as Lor San Tekka handed Jessika Pava the last piece of the map to Luke Skywalker, Jess couldn’t help but feel a prickle of excitement all the while — at last, they’d actually be able to find Luke and win this war! Not to mention actually getting to meet him. She could actually remember hearing bits and pieces about it from Poe — at least before he became a dictator. 

Lor San Tekka continued. “I’ve traveled too far and seen too much to ignore all the despair in the galaxy. Without the Jedi, there can be no balance in the Force.”

”Well,” Jess said, “Thanks to you, we have a chance. The General’s been after this for a long time.”

”The General?” Tekka smiled warmly. “To me, she’s royalty.”

Jess laughed. “Well, she certainly is that.”

It was then that Jess’ BB unit, BB-3, a blue and white droid, wheeled into the tent, beeping wildly. Jess could swear that her blood turned to ice in that moment.

”Jess?” Tekka said.

”It’s the Knights of Ren. BB-3 said she spotted them. All eight of them.”

Jess took her blaster in that moment before going to investigate. BB-3 and Lor San Tekka followed behind. Sure enough, she could see them — Kylo Ren, Supreme Leader Dameron’s husband and enforcer, and his seven Knights. The most recent addition to the crew, Finn Ren, followed not close behind Kylo himself.

”You have to hide,” Jess said.

”You have to leave,” Tekka said. “Go!”

”I’m not leaving you here to get slaughtered.”

Tekka smiled faintly. “I am an old man, Miss Pava. But you...you have much to live for. Your wife, your friends...you must go.”

Jess nodded and ran, BB-3 not far behind her. She thought she could hear Kylo Ren rumble out, “Find her”, and that made her run even faster. Finally, she reached her X-wing —

— only for something to hit it. Must have been Aria Ren, the Sniper. She got out of the X-wing and knelt next to BB-3.

”You take this!” she said, slipping the droid a piece of the map. “Get out of there and save yourself. I’ll catch up.”

BB-3 beeped in protest.

”Go!”

BB-3 did. Jess got up and faced the Knights of Ren in that moment. She didn’t have time to set mines or anything in that moment. But she had grenades.

She threw one. 

Kylo stopped it. Froze her. She struggled, but it was like she couldn’t move. Couldn’t do anything except simply watch as Kylo circled her.

”Put her onboard,” said the Master of the Knights of Ren. “Inform Supreme Leader Dameron that we have a prisoner. A very important one.”


	2. The Desert

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kylo returns to the Supremacy, and BB-3 finds Rey.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I own nothing.

They didn’t spare the villagers because of any compassion, but because Supreme Leader Dameron would have found it “thuggish”. Of course, Hux would have sneered at the very thought. Then again, Hux was a fool anyway. So Kylo could not say he cared. Much. Even as he sat at the cockpit of the shuttle, the hologram of Supreme Leader Dameron flickered to life, a handsome man (in Kylo’s eyes, beautiful) who sat on the throne that had belonged to his deceased predecessor, Snoke. 

“Well, Kylo Ren,” Poe Dameron said, “I trust you bring good news?”

”We captured Commander Jessika Pava on Jakku,” Kylo said. “Should we bring her to the Finalizer?” He had never enjoyed interrogations; the first time he had performed one under Snoke, he’d had to go vomit while Poe comforted him and held his hair. They had been young, then, and scared — nothing like they were now.

”Commander Pava?” Kylo swore he saw something flicker in Poe’s eyes, some sort of worry for his old friend. “Bring her to the Supremacy. I wish to speak with her.”

”Very well.” Kylo couldn’t help but wonder exactly what his husband’s plan was. What he wanted with her. 

“Are you intact? And the rest of the Knights?”

”We are,” Kylo said. “Truly.”

”Good.” Poe smiled, warmly, genuinely. “You did well. So very well, Kylo.”

Something in Kylo couldn’t help but preen, at least a little bit. Something about Poe’s praise was enough to warm him, and it was something that he craved more than even the Dark Side itself.

”Thank you,” he said, “My love.”

He could swear that Poe was all but preening a little under the endearment. “It is the truth.”

***

They put Commander Pava in a private prison cell on the  _Supremacy,_ confiscating her blaster and all weapons. Nothing could be risked, after all. Kylo greeted Supreme Leader Dameron, who really did look far more glorious than in a mere hologram. Beautiful, and maybe it was the leftover adrenaline of the battlefield flowing through his veins, but he already craved Poe and all he had to offer.

Kylo walked towards Poe before settling into a kneeling position in front of him. Poe stood up before walking towards him. Unlike his predecessor, who had a tendency for the gaudy and ostentatious, Poe was dressed simply in black, with a long black cape. It only highlighted his beauty, his golden-bronze skin and black curly hair, his deep brown eyes. Poe smiled. “Rise. And remove your mask — you are in my presence now, love. You don’t need to hide yourself from me.”

Kylo obeyed in that moment, removing his mask. Poe smiled, before letting fingers trail up to touch Kylo’s face. “You really are much prettier like this.”

Kylo relaxed into the touch in that moment, let Poe kiss him. Imagine what the Resistance would think if they witnessed him being so undone just through Poe’s touch and kiss. But he found that he didn’t care. Not even slightly. 

“Come with me,” Poe said, and led Kylo into the bedroom they shared.

Their bedroom was also simple. Cozy, Kylo couldn’t help but think, and almost akin to home. Then again, home was wherever Poe would be. Wherever he’d stand.

”You’ve done so well. Been so good. Did you miss me?”

”So very much, my love.”

”Take what you missed.”

Kylo kissed him fiercely, and it was there that their kisses grew deeper, the both of them moaning against the other’s lips. Their clothes fell away, and they entangled themselves in skin against skin, all but sharing themselves with the other.

***

It was meanwhile on Jakku, long after she had finished her meager meal for the day that the scavenger Rey heard the sound of a scuffle and grabbed her staff, running down the dunes to investigate. There, she saw a blue and white BB unit trapped in a net. More specifically, Teedo’s net. Rey had nothing against scavengers, being one herself, but she doubted that she could just leave the droid there to suffer.

She shouted at Teedo, who shouted back at her before she ran towards the net and began the process of freeing the droid. When Teedo protested, she brandished a knife at him that she used to free the droid. Teedo lumbered away on his mount, leaving Rey and the droid alone, where the droid expressed its opinion on what place in the Corellian hells that Teedo would occupy.

”Shhh!” Not that she disagreed, but Rey didn’t see the use of the droid swearing at Teedo. “That’s just Teedo. He wants you for parts. He has no respect for anyone.”

The droid beeped in agreement. Rey squatted next to it. “Your antenna’s bent. What’s your name? Where do you come from?”

The droid gave her name — BB-3 — and retorted that her mission was classified, thank you.

”Classified, really? Me too, big secret.” Rey straightened the droid’s antenna and stood up. “Niima Outpost is that way, stay off Kelvin Ridge. Keep away from the sinking fields in the north; you’ll drown in the sand.”

It was as she was about to head off for her next find that BB-3 beeped. Rey turned to look at her. “Don’t follow me. Town’s that way.” 

BB-3 was persistent, she’d say that. “No!” Rey said. She turned around then, and saw the droid, blue and white, looking very very alone. The droid dwooed softly.

Rey rolled her eyes. “Come on.” 

The droid wheeled after her. “In the morning, you go,” Rey said.

The droid beeped excitedly.

”You’re welcome,” Rey said, and she wondered despite herself if she had made a new friend.

 


	3. Speaking Freely

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jess meets with Supreme Leader Dameron. It doesn’t go well for either of them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I own nothing.

The truth was, Supreme Leader Dameron wasn’t looking forward to confronting his old friend. It was something that he supposed he should have seen coming, but he couldn’t say that he liked it, still. After all, Jess...the only thing she had done wrong was being on the wrong side. In another, happier time, perhaps he would have been there to witness her marrying Paige and ultimately, being happy. 

Even as Aria Ren, the Sniper, brought Jess in, Poe leaned over in his throne to take her in. She was older, surer of herself, and he didn’t need the Force (like his husband) in order to sense that Jess was angry and unsettled. She was so still that she almost seemed to shake. 

“You did well, Aria,” Poe said. “You all did. Well done.”

Kylo stood at his side, a menacing figure in his mask and robe, looking out at Jess. Jess stiffened. She didn’t need to be afraid, Poe thought. They wouldn’t hurt her. He didn’t want to hurt her. 

“Leave us, Aria,” Poe said. 

She did. 

“It’s good to see you again, Jess,” Poe said. 

She actually did flinch. “I’m Commander Pava. You lost that right to call me ‘Jess’ when you decided to become a dictator.”

All right, that hurt. Poe knew that a lot of people saw the First Order as monsters even under his guidance. Even when medical care was increased. Even when planets that the Republic couldn’t care less about were helped. “ ‘Dictator’ is pretty inaccurate.”

”Well, what else should I call you?” Jess said. “You call for order, yet you crush people down!”

So he’d done questionable things. That didn’t make him a dictator. 

“We did what we could to survive in the First Order. Now is no exception.”

”Survive?” Jess said. “You lived awfully cushy lives, hurting people.”

Silence. An idea came to Poe; she really had no idea, did she? “Commander,” he said, “Skywalker never told you why we left, did he?”

”He told me everything!” Jess said. 

So he’d lied, most likely. Poe sighed. “Jess...what I say next is going to break you. But you deserve to know the truth. You deserve a better hero than the charlatan that tricked my parents and Kylo’s into thinking he was a hero.”

”Luke Skywalker’s nothing like that.”

Poe took a deep breath. Then, “There was a young man, Commander. A powerful, beautiful young man who was haunted by a monster in his mind. And a man who loved him. The first man’s uncle hated him, and feared him, inflicting years of emotional and psychological abuse on him. He made him think he was unworthy...never mind he was the worthiest of all beings." 

“Luke Skywalker wouldn’t do that.”

”He would, Commander. It culminated in Skywalker trying to kill his nephew.” Poe’s voice cracked. He still remembered how he had wanted to explode, to kick something in a rage just because Luke had tried to kill the man Poe loved. 

“But he redeemed Vader,” Jess said. She seemed to already have gone into denial. 

Poe stood up and headed towards Jess. He knew it was risky even with his Praetorian Guards, but Jess looked so broken. He was sorry for bringing it up, but Jess didn’t deserve to be lied to. Stars willing. “Jess. Please. I know it hurts...”

”It doesn’t,” Jess said. “I know you’re lying. Luke’s a good man.”

”Would you rather follow a cause built on a lie, Jess?”

She seemed to really be thinking about it. Poe continued. “We’re not monsters. Not really. Not anymore. We might have been under Snoke, but we’re far better beings now.”

”Hell of a lie you told yourself,” Jess said.

”Could say the same for you. You call yourselves the Resistance when you have nothing to resist. Snoke is dead. I am not Snoke. You have to believe that.”

”I believe you have to be stopped before you hurt anyone else.”

Jess had to go back to her cell, naturally. Poe sat on his throne, rubbing his temples gingerly. He had hoped that Jess would see reason, but the Resistance had brainwashed her into thinking it was a clear-cut conflict. The First Order, his First Order, was nothing like the Empire. There wasn’t something as clear-cut as Rebellion vs. Empire. They were making things better.

”She is a fool,” Kylo said, after he removed his mask to face Poe.

”Not that,” Poe said. “She’s...stubborn. But she’ll understand. Once she knows the whole story, she’ll understand.”

***

Finn Ren didn’t know how to react to the Resistance commander, if he was to be truthful. She was stubborn, strong, he would say that much. But it seemed wrong. The Resistance was evil. They were trying to preserve a corrupt Republic. They weren’t good people by any means and this woman was deluding herself if she thought they were.

She seemed so very strong. Then again, those who thought they were right often appeared strong.

He went to visit the Resistance commander later, where she was in her cell. Somehow, the Supreme Leader had made sure she was treated humanely and she still glared at Finn like he was the enemy somehow.

How was he the enemy? 

“Are you okay?” he said. He was aware that his voice sounded muffled and unsettling behind the mask.

The Resistance commander continued to glare at him. Then, “If you’re here to torture me, just get on with it.”

Finn winced under his mask. “I don’t torture, Commander.” Maybe Hux was all but itching for it, but Finn was far from the sadistic type. Let alone a woman who looked utterly unsettled here. 

“Then why are you here?” said the commander.

”I...wanted to talk,” Finn said, rather weakly.

The Commander looked skeptical. “I doubt it. You want the map to Luke Skywalker. You’re not getting it.”

”Why are you even protecting him?” Finn had heard the stories about Luke Skywalker from Kylo Ren. His cruelty, his self-righteousness.

”I’m not,” said the Commander. “I’m just not helping you.”

Interesting.

”Because it’s the right thing to do, isn’t it?” Finn said. “Or so you think.”

”Yeah.” The Resistance commander paused. “Why do you just want to talk?”

”I was...curious.”

”Curious,” said the Resistance commander. “Sure. What’s your name?”

Finn paused. His real name was lost to history. He doubted he had known anything about his birth parents; Phasma had made sure to keep those records from him. (Supreme Leader Dameron had only kept her alive out of practicality — or so he had said) His name, too, was a mystery. It had been Supreme Leader Dameron that had named him Finn, and from there, Finn had become devoted to both the Supreme Leader and his husband. 

“Finn,” he said.

”Jessika Pava,” said the Resistance commander. A beat. “You’re pretty affable for a Knight of Ren.”

”We’re not bad. Not really.” 

Jessika snorted. “Why can’t you let me go then?”

”I doubt the Supreme Leader will let us.”

”Then go against him!”

Finn sighed. “I would...but he was so kind to me, and the other troopers. I can talk to him, ask if he’ll let you go, but I wouldn’t count on it.”

Jessika’s face softened. Then, “Thank you...Finn.”

Finn couldn’t say he was used to that. “You’re welcome,” he said awkwardly. 

***

”Don’t give up hope,” Rey said to BB-3. “She might yet show up. Whoever you’re waiting for. Classified. I know all about waiting.”

BB-3 beeped curiously.

”For my family,” Rey said. “They’ll be back. One day. Come on.”

She headed to Unkar Plutt’s kiosk with her most recent salvage, and the Crolute looked over it. “These five pieces,” he said, “Are worth, let’s see here...one half portion.”

”Last week they were worth half a portion each,” Rey began. She supposed she wasn’t surprised, though. Plutt had a tendency to do things like that. 

“What about the droid?” Plutt said. 

Rey turned to BB-3, frowned. “What about her?”

”I’ll pay for her,” Plutt said. He dumped heaps of portions on the table. “One hundred portions.”

One hundred. That could keep her fed on Jakku for years to come. Rey moved her hands towards the sack of portions...only to look closer at BB-3.

That droid still had an owner to get back to. Classified or no. 

“Actually,” Rey said, “The droid’s not for sale.” She took her measly one-half portion and turned to BB-3. “Come on.”

She thought she could hear Plutt growling something into his communications device even as she and BB-3 left. 

 ***

Despite the fact that Supreme Leader Dameron and his enforcer, Kylo Ren, had been nothing but kind to him, Finn Ren couldn’t help but be nervous even as he strode into the throne room.

The first thing that Finn noticed was that the Supreme Leader looked tired. Tired and sad. It was something that he couldn’t say that he was used to seeing. He was used to the Supreme Leader being warm and strong. Supreme Leader Dameron raised his head in that moment and said, softly, “Finn.”

”Supreme Leader.” Finn bowed quickly before saying, “If I can speak freely...”

”You may,” the Supreme Leader said.

”Why can’t we let Commander Pava go? I mean, we seem to be holding her prisoner without a purpose.”

The Supreme Leader inhaled deeply. “Well,” he said, “She could have the clue to the final piece of the map to Luke Skywalker. That and if she could be turned, it would send a powerful message to the Resistance. She could be a great asset.”

Finn didn’t doubt it. From what he had heard of Pava, she was a skilled pilot and leader. Having her in the First Order would be...formidable. 

“And you care about her,” Finn said.

”Even a Supreme Leader of the First Order can’t forget old friends.”

“Probably.” Finn said. 

There was silence. 

“Is there any chance we could sweep Jakku?” Kylo Ren spoke up in that moment. “Find the droid.”

”Yes. Intact, if possible. It is Jess’ droid, after all.” the Supreme Leader said.

Finn supposed that he wasn’t surprised. After all, the Supreme Leader had a droid of his own, an orange and white BB unit named BB-8. The Supreme Leader was fond of droids. It was one of those things about him that made him seem almost like any other sentient being.

”Finn,” said the Supreme Leader, “You’ll go with Kylo and the other Knights to find the droid. I’ll be right behind you.”

”No one will be hurt, will they?” Finn said.

The Supreme Leader sighed. “I make no promises, Finn. But we won’t kill unnecessarily. We’re not doing anything that isn’t necessary.”

Necessary. Finn still couldn’t say he liked it. He had never enjoyed killing. 

“I see,” Finn Ren said. 

“Go,” said the Supreme Leader. “I wish to speak with Kylo...before he leaves as well.”

Finn did. 

***

”Be safe,” said the Supreme Leader, placing hands on Kylo’s chest. Kylo was unmasked, facing him. “I can’t imagine losing you.”

”I always come home.” Kylo Ren was not afraid, after all. In his purpose, he was confident, in his abilities, he was also confident. “I promise you.”

Their lips met, brushed together, and long after they broke away, Kylo swore that he could feel the Supreme Leader’s kiss on his lips, taste him. 

“I love you,” Poe said. It was one of those instances where he meant every word, and Kylo appreciated him for it all the more. 

“You don’t have to tell me,” Kylo said. “It’s with me, wherever I go.”


	4. Found

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey escapes from a frying pan into a hot fire.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Rey had fought off bandits trying to steal BB-3 when she heard the droid beep frantically. Rey turned around, only for her to already get the chills despite herself. 

Growing up, Rey had heard stories about the Knights of Ren. Now, at nineteen, she was there to encounter them. There was Kylo, leader of the Knights of Ren, there were the other seven...and Rey already knew she had to get BB-3 to safety. 

No one could fight a Knight of Ren with only a quarterstaff, after all. 

She ran in that moment. BB-3 followed her even as they ran as quickly as they could, the Knights of Ren on their heels. Among other things, Rey was pretty good at outwitting her opponents. You didn’t survive on Jakku for long if you didn’t think fast. 

BB-3 beeped frantically, in that moment. 

“We might,” Rey said, “In that quadjumper!”

Another series of beeps. They needed a pilot. 

“We’ve got one!” Granted, Rey had mostly flown ships around Jakku without leaving the planet, but she still had expertise under her belt. 

BB-3 beeped in disbelief. Then another series of beeps, referring to a freighter that hadn’t flown in years. 

“That one’s garbage!” Rey said. 

She very narrowly dodged a sniper’s shot that landed at the quadjumper. It was effectively disabled. Another series of shots, and Rey knew that there was all but no salvaging the quadjumper. 

“The garbage’ll do,” she said, reluctantly. 

She ran towards the freighter, up the ramp. BB-3 beeped, asking her if she had ever flown the ship. 

“No!” Rey said. “This ship hasn’t flown in years.”

She got to the cockpit, repeating to herself again and again that she could do this, before starting the ship up. 

“BB-3,” she said, “We have to lose them. Somehow.” An idea struck her in that moment. “The graveyard! Get ready, we’re heading for the graveyard!”

BB-3 beeped in confusion. 

“We should find cover there!” Rey said. “Hold on!”

They swooped for the graveyard, and it was there that Rey saw the looming shape of a thing out of a nightmare, out of a legend. “Ri’ia preserve us,” she murmured. “It’s the Supremacy. We’re going low, BB-3. This way!”

She swooped through the tunnel of a wrecked Star Destroyer, before swooping towards the sky. Too blue, with the Supremacy and its legions of TIE fighters that seemed to swoop out now gaining on Rey. 

“We need to get to safety!” Rey said. “BB-3...where’s your base? We have to get you back there.”

She barely dodged a TIE fighter blast. 

“BB-3,” Rey said, “Hurry!”

BB-3 beeped, and it was a relief for Rey. The Ileneum system. D’Qar. 

She typed in the coordinates for D’Qar, quickly, and it was there that they shot into hyperspace. 

***

The girl and her droid were resourceful, Kylo would give her that. Even as he headed back to his shuttle to contact Supreme Leader Dameron, he couldn’t say he looked forward to disappointing him. 

“We’ll find them,” Supreme Leader Dameron said over hologram. “I can’t sense things as you do, Kylo, but Hux is still developing the necessary technology to track ships through hyperspace. And you...you are powerful. You can do many things I can’t.”

Kylo did not deny it. “Thank you, my love.”

”It is the truth,” Supreme Leader Dameron said. “Come back up to the Supremacy and we’ll talk more.”

***

It was while Rey was coming to terms with the fact that she had stolen a freighter and flown away from Jakku (stars, but what would her parents think?) that she worked on the ship. BB-3 was especially helpful, bustling about and fixing the motivator, just in time to keep the ship from being flooded with poisonous gas. Rey also fixed things such as the compressor, among others. Besides saving the ship, it also took her mind, temporarily, off the fact that she had done something so incredibly reckless, so incredibly a betrayal to her beloved parents. 

Her parents had been...difficult. Sometimes they could be loving, sometimes they screamed in slurred voices. Them leaving her on Jakku had nonetheless felt like an amputated limb, like you felt the absence all too keenly. 

BB-3 seemed to sense Rey’s guilt, for she dwooed softly. Rey gave her a weak smile. “I’m okay,” she said. “And you’re okay. We’ll get to the Resistance and...get you home.”

And then she’d go back to Jakku like a good daughter would. She had to. 

“I should sleep,” she said. “The ship should be on AutoPilot for the moment. We’ll both be fine.”

At least she hoped so. 

***

Up on the Supremacy, Kylo Ren meditated in the chambers that he and Poe shared. He wasn’t as accomplished as his mother (though she was unintentionally accomplished, really) but he could sense things across galaxies nonetheless. 

He reached through the Force, and through the strange images of a scavenger girl in pale clothing with her hair in three buns, the bursts of Light in the Force that almost seemed to burn him, he felt a word. A single word. 

D’Qar. 

Of course. Even through the sleep-tangled haze of her thoughts, Kylo could feel it. 

He opened his eyes, turned to Poe. “They’re heading to D’Qar.” he said. 

“Well done,” Poe said. “You are strong indeed.”

Kylo knew it, but he felt it, more than anything, when Poe said it to him. 

***

Rey woke to the sound of beeping in that moment, rubbing sleep groggily from her eyes before stumbling to the cockpit. D’Qar was ahead. Rey exclaimed in delight even as they glided in closer; she didn’t expect to actually see green on a planet. 

BB-3 beeped, curiously. 

“I’m fine,” Rey said. “I didn’t know that there could be so much green in the whole galaxy.”

The freighter landed, and Rey disembarked. It was then that a young woman ran towards the scene. She was beautiful, no, gorgeous, with expressive dark eyes and olive skin and black hair. She was dressed in a bomber’s uniform, and it was there that she looked suspiciously at Rey. “What are you doing here?” she said. “With that droid?”

”I found her,” Rey said. “On Jakku.”

A flicker of confusion came across the young woman’s face. “You stole her?”

”What?” Rey said. “No. I’d never. I rescued her. Teedo from Niima Outpost was trying to sell her for parts...”

BB-3 beeped frantically to corroborate Rey’s story, and the look of confusion on the young woman’s face softened. “I’m sorry. Ever since my wife went missing, I’ve been so worried...”

”What happened to her?” Rey said softly. 

“She was captured. By the First Order. We’ve been forbidden to rescue her; we don’t want to blow our cover, but...” The young woman sighed. “She’s out there. I can’t just leave her.”

Rey bit her lip. Already, she wished there was something she could do to help. She knew all about waiting, after all, even if it wasn’t for a spouse. 

“I’m Paige Tico, by the way,” the woman said. 

“Rey,” Rey said. 

“Interesting name. You’ll want to come with me. I think the General could use some good news.”

Rey nodded. Perhaps meeting with the General could also show her how to reunite BB-3 with her owner, really. 

***

”You’re Leia Organa!” Rey said, the moment that she saw the older woman with her hair in a braided bun. 

The older woman looked up at her with a gentle sort of amusement. “I am. And you are...”

”Rey,” Rey said. 

“I have to say, Rey, thank you for getting this droid back safely. It was a noble thing you did.”

Rey couldn’t say she knew how it felt to be admired for a change. So she said, “It was what anyone would have done, General.” Then, “BB-3’s owner’s being held captive by the First Order.”

”I know.” General Organa looked genuinely sorrowful in that moment. “We were told that the Knights of Ren took her from Jakku. We just don’t know where she is.”

”Then we have to try,” Paige said. 

General Organa sighed. “Without knowing where the First Order is, it might as well be a wild bantha chase.”

”My wife is being held captive,” Paige said. “I can’t just leave her.”

General Organa nodded. 

It was then that the alarms on the base went off, and Rey flinched against the noise. A blond woman with her hair in buns said, “General...they’ve found us.”

”But that’s impossible!” Rey said. “No one can track a ship through hyperspace.”

General Organa sighed. “And somehow they’ve done it. We have to prepare to evacuate.”


	5. Fire

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The battle of D’Qar ends.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I own nothing.

D’Qar below was chaos even as the evacuation began. The blond woman was already directing things pretty well, Rey couldn’t help but observe. Even as Rey turned BB-3 over to Paige, she said to the droid, squatting next to her, “This may be where we have to part ways. Paige will look after you, and get you back to her wife. I promise.”

Truthfully, Rey didn’t like being put on the sidelines of the action, but she supposed in this instance she had no choice but to do so. She couldn’t say she liked it though. She should be helping. She should be trying to find Paige’s wife. 

“I wanted to say,” Paige said, “Thank you. Really. You’ve done so much for the Resistance, you, a mere stranger. That’s something.”

”It was what anyone would have done.”

”Not everyone,” Paige said. 

“Where are you going?” Rey said. 

“To take on the First Order and get my wife back,” Paige said. “You should get to the transports. Save yourself.”

Rey nodded. “Good luck,” she said. 

“You too,” Paige said. 

Rey boarded one of the transports in that moment. Even as she watched the pilots and bombers take off, Rey could only hope that Ri’ia would be with them, all the while. 

***

Paige had an idea the moment that she was in the air, in her bombing ship. She tightly pressed her medallion to her lips before tuning into the Supremacy’s communications system. “This is Paige Tico of the Republic bombing fleet; I wish to speak with Supreme Leader Dameron personally.”

Silence. Paige wondered if she would ever get a reply. Then, eventually, she heard Poe’s voice. Smooth and golden. “This is Supreme Leader Poe Dameron of the First Order. Paige, I have to say, congratulations on getting married. I can’t say I knew that beforehand.”

”You’re holding Commander Jessika Pava prisoner,” Paige said. “I request you release her. There’s going to be plenty of bombs I can drop on your ship if I have to. I have no desire to spill anyone’s blood, but I will if I have to.”

A beat. Then, “I don’t think you thought that through, Paige. Besides, we can’t release Jess. She’s too valuable to release.”

“If you hurt her — ”

”She’s fine,” Poe said. “I wouldn’t hurt her, Paige, or order her hurt. I’m not a sadist.”

 _But you are a monster_ , Paige thought. And for her wife, along with Rose, she would do anything. 

***

Tinkering with the jail cell door had been difficult, but Jess was now out. She’d gotten her blaster, and now she was already proceeding to battle whoever was in her way. Kriff, but it felt good to be back in action again. She just needed to get back to the hangar...

***

It was then that Paige heard the faint, distorted sounds of blasterfire over, no doubt, Poe’s communications system that he kept. “The hell is that?” she said. 

“Jess must have broken out,” Poe said. “I should have seen that coming. She never was one to wait around...”

Paige couldn’t help but be proud of Jess despite herself. 

“Paige,” Poe said, “I’m going to have no choice but to fire on you.” 

Paige nodded. “That’s what you tell yourself, isn’t it? That you have no choice. You had all the choices in the galaxy, Poe. And you chose this one.”

She swooped in towards the hangar, past the firing blasts, past plenty more. Behind her, a bomber who wasn’t lucky enough to get free of the blasts went up in flames. Paige couldn’t help but clutch her medallion closer to her chest, if only for luck. Jess reached the hangar, and stars, Paige doubted that she was more relieved to see anyone else in that moment. 

The bombing ship was big enough for two. Jess climbed up the ladder and grinned at Paige. “Let’s get out of here. Ready to drop some explosives?”

Paige nodded. She didn’t want to kill Poe, not really. Or any of the First Order who were conscripted somehow. The Knights of Ren, Hux, the First Order’s high-ranking officers who were responsible for all this...let them burn. But not Poe. 

Leia’s voice crackled over the comm. “You did it, Paige. Now let’s get out of here.”

Paige nodded. “Copy that. Just going to leave them something they’ll remember us by.”

The bombs dropped. 

The Supremacy exploded. 

Paige and Jess managed to barely steer clear of the impact even as it blew up. Over the comm, she could hear cheering, cheering loud enough to almost short out her communications device. Paige squeezed her eyes shut. Truthfully, doing that to Poe was agony. 

***

Poe and Kylo managed to get to the escape pods in time. Poe shuddered to think of how many people could not have made it off the Supremacy — and to think Paige did it. Paige. 

He didn’t have time for how-could-she and how-dare-she. He could save that for later, truly. 

When Poe came to in the wreckage of his escape pod, he could feel Kylo holding him tightly. He blinked, coughed once. “Kylo,” he said, hoarsely. “We...survived?”

”We did. Many didn’t. Finn Ren and the others are in medbay. Hux and Phasma also survived. Many...didn’t.”

By the stars, Paige was going to pay for this. “They’re terrorists, all of them. Worse. They’re not just terrorists, but traitors.”

”I know,” Kylo said. “I’m sorry, Poe.”

Poe nuzzled into his shoulder even as Kylo took him into medbay. 

***

”We can rebuild. We suffered a devastating defeat at the battle of D’Qar,” Poe said as he faced his audience, still recovering from his injuries, “But we are still standing. Try and kill the First Order, they only come back stronger than ever. No matter what it takes, no matter what happens...the First Order remains strong.”

The crowd murmured in assent. Poe stood there, looking upon his recruits. No matter what happened, the First Order would always stand strong. They needed a year to recover, maybe more, but they would stand strong. All of them, always.

And the Resistance...well, they would pay for what they did soon enough. 


End file.
